Thursday, August 23, 2012

Windshield Repair - Chips on the Table

Composite Chip (Star + Bull's-Eye)

It’s hard being a windshield in Minnesota. Extremes in weather force the rigid glass to
contract and expand like water, while the hail and ice that follow these swings
in temperature pummel your vehicle without mercy. Then, of course, there are the vehicles on
the road which seem bent on destroying your defenseless auto glass. You know the ones: summertime gravel trucks bouncing along,
sharing their load with the cars in their wake, or winter’s snowplow, keeping
our roads safe, but pitting your windshield in a whoosh of rock laden slush.

Few Minnesota drivers escape more than a year or two
without finding a chip or a crack in their vehicle’s glass. Although a small chip can appear benign
enough, if it goes unrepaired, an afternoon baking in the sun or a morning
frost can cause that little star to spider out into a major problem for you – a
potential $118 fine in this state, not to mention the safety hazard it poses.

Star Chip

Half Moon or Half Bull's-Eye

American Glass & Mirror can help you avoid the need for
replacement by repairing the chip or crack before it expands. Our technicians drill a hole into the blemish
and inject a clear acrylic resin that cures by UV light. This process restores the integrity of the
glass, thereby preventing further damage, and generally reestablishes its clarity. It should be noted that several factors could
diminish the chances of achieving complete transparency, including the age and
type of chip. If you are not pleased with the outcome of the
repair, then the cost will be credited to a windshield replacement.

Bull's-Eye Chip

Interspersed throughout the blog have been photos of common
types of repairable chips – star and partial bull’s-eyes being the best
candidates for complete restoration. Below is a photo of an irreparable chip,
referred to in the industry as a “coke bottle” chip. Two
other instances that would prevent repair are damage that is larger than two to
three square inches (roughly the size of a credit card) and damage occurring
within the driver’s line of vision.
Aside from these minor restrictions, any chip or crack should be
repairable.